Three
large photographs of scenes at the World’s Columbian Exposition, taken by the
Glessners’ son George, are on prominent display in the museum’s visitors’
center. They depict the caryatid porch
of the Palace of Fine Arts (now the Museum of Science and Industry), the
Ho-o-den or Japanese Pavilion on the Wooded Island, and the Café de la Marine
also known as the Marine Café.

The Marine
Café, one of the most distinctive buildings at the Fair, was one of five
structures designed by Henry Ives Cobb, who was appointed to the board of
architects in January 1891. He
ultimately had more commissions at the Fair than anyone other than Daniel
Burnham’s firm. Cobb’s best known design
at the Exposition was the Fisheries Building, but he also designed the Indiana
Building, the India Pavilion, and the Streets of Cairo on the Midway
Plaisance.

Black arrow at upper left shows location

of the Cafe de la Marine

Located
immediately to the north of the Fisheries Building along the northeast edge of
the lagoon surrounding the Wooded Island, the Café de la Marine was one of
several restaurants in this vicinity.
Nearby dining options included a Japanese Tea House, Swedish Café, Polish Café, Clam Bake, Soda
Fountain, and a large Banquet Hall. As
its name suggested, the Café de la Marine served seafood, or, as one guidebook
stated, “all animals from Water.”

The
structure was designed in a fanciful French Gothic style and featured four
pyramidal and six conical towers of various heights surmounted by tall
finials. Two story verandas wrapped the
sides providing beautiful views across the lagoon and the waterway leading into
the North Pond beyond which stood the Palace of Fine Arts. Alternating dark wood and light staff (the
plaster-like material that was used on the exterior of most of the buildings at
the Fair) suggested Tudor half-timbering.

Since the
building functioned as an eatery, it did not receive the same level of
attention as did the main exhibition buildings.
However, the Café was the scene of an interesting event that was
reported in the Chicago Tribune on
June 14, 1893. The event involved a
luncheon for the Infanta Eulalia, youngest child of Queen Isabella II of Spain,
the official emissary for her country to the Fair. Accompanied by her husband, the Infante
Antonio, the Infanta concluded her visit to the Fair and Chicago with a flurry
of activities including lunch at the Café.
The Tribune reported the event
as follows:

“Stop,” said a big Columbian Guard as he grasped
a slender man in a dark suit by the arm.
The guard was standing at the foot of the stairway leading to the second
floor of the Marine Café at Jackson Park.
“This here café is closed,” he continued, as the slender man struggled
to get away.

“But I want to get to my wife.”

“Can’t help it, sir. Sorry, but orders is orders. You’ll have to wait till your wife comes
out. Nobody but the Infanta and her
party are allowed up-stairs.”

It was Prince Antoine, who, as usual, had come
to Jackson Park ahead of the rest of the royal Spanish party and had spent the
morning walking about the grounds and buildings in a thoroughly interested and
democratic way. He had his pointed black
beard shaved off before he started for the Fair, and, wearing only a heavy
mustache it was little wonder that he was not recognized.

Infante Antonio, Duke of Galiera

But the guard made a low obeisance when the
Prince announced himself, and H.R.H. hurried up-stairs, to be greeted with
laughter by the assembled party, the Princess taking occasion to twit him on
his changed appearance.

The Infanta and her party reached Jackson Park
about noon, coming as usual on the Gryphon.
Director-General Davis’ launch was in waiting and took them at once to
the Marine Café, just north of the Fisheries Building. The table had been spread on the open gallery
about the outside of the second story, but handsome screens and curtains of
flowers shut out the view of the crowd which gathered on the grass below. The west end of the gallery had been fitted
up as an impromptu reception room. Tiger
skins were stretched upon the floor and great palms drooped in the corner. Between the posts of the gallery hung
festoons of roses and green, trailing vines.
Plates were laid for fifteen around an oval table and at each place was
a handsome card embossed in colors with the crossed flags of Spain and the
United States.

What the Party Ate.

The menu was as follows:

Little Neck Clams.

Chateau Latour Blanche
1879.

Spanish Omelet.

Planked White Fish.

Cucumbers. Juliene Potatoes.

Deviled Lobster.

Piper Heidsieck Brut
Extra.

Broiled Snipe. Clos de Vougeot.

Salad and Cheese.

Coffee.

The party lingered for more than two hours about
the table. The Princess sat where with
one glance of her eye she could take in the splendid sweep of the lagoons about
the green wooded island, backed to the south by the splendid white towers of
the buildings about the Court of Honor.

It was nearly 3 o’clock when the party boarded
the launch again . . .

View looking east from the Women's Building,

from left: Brazil Building, Sweden Building,

Cafe de la Marine, Fisheries Building

Less than
a year later, nothing remained of the Café de la Marine, as it was destroyed
along with most of the other buildings at the Fair. Today, most visitors to Jackson Park, walking
across the nearby Clarence Darrow Memorial Bridge, are unaware of the striking
edifice that once stood at this location.